This is an unusual book review submission to a psychoanalytic journal. Violin Dreams, by Arnold Steinhardt, first violinist of the Guarneri String Quartet and soloist in recitals with orchestra, is more than the liner notes indicate, “a love letter to the violin.” Violin Dreams reveals the author's natural analytic inclination to think deeply about himself and his music-making as integral to his inner life. His book is a contribution to psychoanalytic thinking outside the box of the consulting room and the formal concert hall. Over the course of its 255 pages, the reader is invited to eavesdrop on a process that feels as though he or she is privy to a series of quasi-analytic sessions. Steinhardt's previous book, Indivisible by Four (1996), chronicles the inception and history of the Guarneri Quartet, who retired after their 2008-2009 season and forty-five years of music-making. The longevity and success of the quartet suggest that Steinhardt has experience in